Carpe Diem
by kyntyre
Summary: When Shego is falsely framed by GJ for the murders of Drakken and his cousin Ed and consequentially sentenced to capital punishment, she is forced to turn to an unlikely source of salvation.
1. Chapter 1

"Kim, I've got a lead on Drakken––he's testing out a death bomb."

"So there. Get me a helicopter."

"Done."

When they arrived at Drakken's lair, Kim was surprised to see that hardly any of it was still standing. Quick as she could she jumped over the yellow crime scene tape and went into the rubble. The only body she could see was Shego.

"Shego?" she asked, but the sallow-skinned villainess did not respond. Just as Kim was about to lean over her rival, Ron pointed out, "Wait, Kim! This could all be one big ambush."

"Not this time, Ron," Kim replied. Shego's head had fallen over to the side facing Kim. Kim could see that Shego's makeup had smeared almost unrecognizably all over her face and that the unconscious girl was drooling slightly. Kim reached out and felt for a pulse.

"Anything?" Ron asked nervously.

"Slow, inconsistent," Kim said. "Not good but not gone." She rummaged in her bag for a moment and lifted Shego's head, shoving a smelling salt under her nose. About fifteen seconds later, Shego's face contorted in a frown of revulsion and she opened her eyes, seemingly taken aback by the development.

"Oh," Shego said, "it's you, princess." She made to free herself of Kim but she fell down hard on the floor. Kim hesitated a moment before hoisting Shego up again.

"Shego, are you alright? What happened here?" Kim asked.

Something strange happened to Shego. Her face screwed up as if in agony and she jammed her hands to her temples.

"Quick, Kimmie––get the––Attitudinator. It's––over there. Somewhere."

"I got it, K.P.!" Ron called, throwing the souped-up football helmet gracelessly to Kim, who caught it by the skin of her teeth.

"Now what?" Kim asked.

"Z-zap me. Please. Before I explode!"

Kim did as she was told and Shego screamed as the blue light engulfed her. When it was finished she panted for a few seconds before focusing again on Kim.

"I really wanted to be good again," she sighed, "but when you're evil even just the concept really hurts."

"Well, good job, Shego," Kim said. "You're free now."

"Yeah," Shego said in a raspy, airy voice. "Thanks, princess."

"No big," Kim said with a comforting smile. "So what happened to you?"

"Drakken blew apart the lair," Shego said. All of a sudden her eyes filled with tears. "I think he's dead, and so is that stupid cousin of his. They must be! Kimmie, it's all my fault. I lived! I don't know what I'm gonna do!"

"Shego, it's okay, calm down," Kim said. "You've been through a lot. When the G.J. agents get here––"

Sirens and blinding lights. Shego clamped her eyes shut but Kim had her back to them.

"We are agents from Global Justice here to collect Shego for the double-murder of Drew Lipsky and his cousin Edward Lipsky."

"No!" Kim said. "Wait! You don't understand. She's innocent––I'm Kim Possible. I vouch for her!"

"We can't accept a vouch, even from you, Possible, until Dr. Director's approved it," said one of the agents in a flat voice. Kim blanched as they hoisted Shego roughly by the armpits. Shego looked like she was in a lot of pain. "Please, be gentle with her!" Kim begged the agents, but for all the good that did she might've asked them to make Shego's suffering worse. They forced a straightjacket over her and threw her in the back of their truck. Shego looked completely defeated.

"Let me go with her?" Kim asked. "Please, guys? What could it hurt? And that way, I'll get to talk to Dr. Director."

The agent who seemed to be in charge of the operation surveyed Kim before giving a curt little nod of approval. Kim beamed at Shego and threw herself into the truck as well.

"I'll call you later, Ron!" she called.

"Okay, K.P.," her boyfriend called back. "I'll wait by the phone. Good luck."

The doors shut. Kim turned to Shego.

"How are you feeling?" she asked.

"My head hurts a little but otherwise, I think I'm fine. I have superpowers, remember, pumpkin?"

"Superpowers," Kim repeated. "Right. Look, Shego, don't be worried. I will help you out of this terrible sitch. Are you sad about the guys that got blown up?"

"Well," Shego said thoughtfully, "I guess Drakken was just trapped by the same evil that I was, and I suppose I loved him––some way––but that cousin of his was just a _freak_."

"You can say that again," Kim muttered. "I promise, nothing will happen to you. You're innocent this time, and we can't forget Habeas Corpus."

"I haven't exactly got a clean track record though, darling," Shego said. Her curtain of black hair fell down over her eyes. She tried to flip it back but couldn't quite get the angle. "Princess, a little help?"

"You got it," Kim said as she tied back Shego's hair in a ponytail.

"So…you still dating Stoppable?" Shego asked.

"Guilty," said Kim. "Hey, Shego, you still come off a little sarcastic. I didn't miss you with the Attitudinator, did I?"

"No, honey, I've been working on that thing for a long time and I made it so there's a normal balance of good and, let's just say, _human_ qualities," Shego said with a wink. "In case I ever got zapped again."

"If you were evil, why didn't you just destroy it?"

"Kim-kim-kim," Shego sighed, "I am the strongest person I know, and I fought the evil from the last time I got zapped. Before––when I fought evil alongside my brothers, I mean––I wasn't fascinated with evil like they say. I was forced to by a dark ray. I couldn't make _myself_ good again, but I knew I could count on you to try. But I didn't want to be _stupid_ good like before––I wanted my free will again. I've been fighting the evil within myself for almost as long as you have. Unfortunately, I couldn't tell you this, because I was still evil, and when I finally did, it hurt like hell."

"Wow," said Kim. "I don't know what to say. That was really brave."

"You bet your sweet ass it was," Shego replied wryly.

"I've got a question," Kim said.

"Okay, shoot."

"You seem so nonchalant about this whole arrested sitch," Kim observed.

"Oh, that?" Shego asked.

"Yeah, why is that?"

"I trust you, princess," Shego said with a morose attempt at a grin. Kim returned the watery smile and put a hand on Shego's shoulder.

"I will help you."

"I know."

"Kimmie, have you ever been a lawyer?"

"Shego, it might sound strange but I've really got your back this time. I highly doubt it'll get as far as a courtroom."

Shego gave another sad little smile. "Thanks, princess."

"We have to be careful though," Kim said. "Can I be quite honest with you?"

"Hit me."

"Well…since this isn't your first felony, no less than murder this time––"

"Kim, I swear I didn't do it!" Shego burst out.

"Shh, shhh, I know, I know, and I believe you. That doesn't mean G.J. wouldn't love to finish you for it. Shego, it _looks_ like you did it. I know you wouldn't kill Drakken no matter what, but you've got a history, and you're the only one who survived."

"And on top of everything, Kimmie, Drakken's dead!" Shego cried out. "I don't care if he was a psychotic wreck of a man, he was the closest thing I ever had to a friend––besides you."

"Me?" Kim gawked. "You consider _me_ a friend?"

Shego tried to fidget and got frustrated with the straitjacket. A verdant light glowed under the restraint and a minute later it popped off in pieces like fireworks. Shego felt around for something in her breast pocket. She handed Kim a singed piece of paper. Kim's eyes widened when she saw the photograph of two happy young women with their arms around one another in a photo booth.

"That's me––that's us!" she exclaimed. "Shego, you carry this around with you?"

"Even in some of our fiercest brawls," Shego admitted. "I burned the evidence when I turned evil again, but the whole thing didn't go up. Do you still have your strip?"

"You know it," Kim said with a smile. "I keep it on my vanity, because you always have the best style, and maybe I thought that if I took a leaf or two out of your book I'd have a piece of you with me always. I guess I always secretly hoped you'd come back to our side. I really like you, Shego."

"I really like you too, Kimmie," Shego said with a watery smile. "Uh…you had a picture of me in your locker too if memory serves me," Shego said. "It's a mug shot, right?"

"It was," Kim replied guiltily. "I had Drakken's in there under yours. It's just a hero thing I guess."

"I wouldn't understand, I suppose," Shego said with a melancholy chuckle.

"Hey," Kim said gently. "See this as your chance to turn things around."

"Okay," Shego replied in a soft voice. The truck lurched to a halt. "Preview," she muttered to herself more than to Kim, who winced at the truth of one word.

"Hey, where is your straitjacket?" the G.J. officer barked at Shego. Then he saw the pieces on the floor.

"I didn't need it, sir," Shego said quietly.

"Really," Kim reinforced her friend's answer. The gruff officer just snorted.

"I don't know what's getting into you, Kim Possible," he said. "Miss Go, we're gonna try you tomorrow afternoon but you're gonna have to spend the night."

Shego's face was blank, subdued. Kim grabbed both of her hands.

"Thanks, Kimmie," she whispered.

"Please step out of the truck slowly. Put your hands up."

Shego did as she was told and was taken into the dark cell all alone. She lay on her back all night, staring at the ceiling, hoping that her beloved could sleep.

Kim couldn't sleep. She tossed and turned and sweated all night, eventually allowing herself to cry at four in the morning––and she cried herself into exhaustion. She knew that her Shego––no, she'd had her chance and passed it up––_not_ her Shego at all––she wasn't worthy––was going to die.


	2. Chapter 2

There were several witness to the scene of the disaster but only one whose testament helped Shego. But unfortunately, Shego was also being tried for a number of crimes and break-outs. Kim tried everything she could––she begged the judge and jury to acquit Shego, because she knew in her heart that it was the right thing, but also, she knew, because she wanted Shego for herself. Whatever her motives, it didn't work. Global Justice really wanted to be done with Shego, and everything was about to end.

"Lethal injection. Tomorrow at noon. Court dismissed."

To everyone's surprise it was Kim and not Shego who fell into the other's arms, lost for weeping. Shego stroked the younger girl's hair and numbly watched the tears bead up against the baggy orange jumpsuit. It was the greatest punishment to see her princess this way––no, she must not think of Kim as hers. That would only make it harder for the younger girl to watch her die, or it would confuse her out of her mind.

"Kim, it's going to be okay," Shego tried to comfort her former arch-foe. "You'll be fine. You'll go on, don't worry. _Life_ goes on. I don't want for this to ruin the wonderful enigma that is you."

"Your Honor, wait, please, I can prove Shego's innocent––please––"

"Miss Possible, how is it––well, _possible_, that a series of laser rays have governed the course of Miss Go's life? Anyway, I can't try her again. I'm sorry for your loss, but the ruling is final."

"YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND, YOU FUCKING LOSERS!" Kim yelled and Shego was the one who quieted her.

"Your Honor," Shego posed, "can Kim spend the night with me?"

The judge surveyed them––Shego held Kim to herself by the arms and Kim looked beyond all reason. He nodded.

"I don't see why not," he said. "Ladies, I truly am sorry."

"If your so God-damn sorry then why'd you murder Shego?"

He had no response for that. Prison guards came and took Shego and Kim back to the penitentiary. After being completely checked Kim was brought into Shego's cell. She dropped to her knees in front

"Hi princess."

"Shego, I'm so sorry. It's all my––"

"It's not your fault at all, pumpkin."

"If I hadn't framed you so many times––"

"You didn't know that I wasn't acting freely. Kim, I will always love you, and I will always be with you. They can kill me but they can't keep me away from you."

"Let them kill me too," Kim sobbed, her head crashing into the older girl's shoulder. Shego surveyed Kim and, much to Kim's surprise, she kissed the top of Kim's ginger head and hugged the hero tightly to herself.

"Kim, it has meant the world to me, all that you have done to try and save my life. You had a duty to save the world. It was one to seven billion. I'm glad you always chose the world, okay? Thank you for all that you've done."

Kim looked up at her. "Shego, there's something I need to tell you…"

"What is it, princess?" Shego asked, concerned.

"Look, I never had the guts to say so before, and now I feel terrible for laying this on you too, but I think––oh, Lord, I'm sorry, I have no right."

"Tell me or let me die wondering," Shego begged.

"I'm in love. With you."

Shock came over the former villainess like a crashing wave and a joyful smile broke over her face. "Really, princess?"

"I'm sorry," Kim apologized, without looking up. "I felt like if I didn't tell you now, that I never could, and I've always wanted to, but I thought there was something wrong with––"

In a sudden rush of adrenaline and urge to seize this moment, the raven-haired convict lifted Kim by the armpits and caught the lips of the redheaded hero in a kiss that neither could have seen coming. Kim broke away from Shego to breathe.

"I'm sorry," Shego said, completely bewildered by her own behavior. She put her face in her unusually bare hands. "Now it'll be that much harder for you tomorrow––"

"Don't be sorry," Kim replied with a smile. "Just let me catch my breath."

Shego smiled victoriously. The redheaded princess who had flouted just about every one of her schemes now placed her hands gently on either side of Shego's face and kissed her.

"I'm glad you told me," Shego said when they broke the kiss. "But I don't want you to live as my widow for the rest of your life."

"That's not up to you. But at least now I know why you were so easy to beat."

Shego smiled. "Shego," Kim said slowly, "do you still have Drakken's number?"

"Yeah, it's––wait. Why?" she eyed her princess warily, eyes saturated with suspicion. "No," she said flatly. "I am _not_ switching bodies with you, but I know that you'd do it."

"In a heartbeat. Damn."

"Kimmie, can I see that ring of yours?" Shego asked. Kim took it out of her pocket and gave it to the sallow-skinned convict, whose entire body glowed with the same verdant light that it always had been able to. Then Shego stopped glowing, and the stone on the ring glowed green––Shego green. She got down on one knee.

"Will you love me for the rest of my life?" she asked, tears streaming freely from her eyes now.

Kim burst into tears again. "I'll love you for all eternity," she swore. Shego put the ring on Kim's ring finger, and Kim glowed green.

"You gave me your powers––?" she gasped. "I couldn't save you, I don't deserve them."

"You tried your hardest to protect me. Now––now––now _I_ can always protect _you_. My. Love."

"Do you want me to call anybody? Your brothers?"

"I would––I would really like that, Kim."

When a burlesque guard took Kim to Dr. Director's office, Kim was surprised by what she found already there.


End file.
